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The Lantern is a niche media organization, serving the Carolinas and beyond, with a focus on paranormal, mysteries, folklore, the unexplained, attractions, and history.

The Ghost Dogs of “Paw” leys Island: All Dogs Go To HeavenI love the coast of South Carolina and dogs. It is a beautiful...
09/02/2024

The Ghost Dogs of “Paw” leys Island: All Dogs Go To Heaven

I love the coast of South Carolina and dogs. It is a beautiful and magical place I hope to call home one day. It is the ideal place for fun and relaxation and is known to have a few haunted locations.

We all know the more familiar stories around this area, like The Grey Man and Alice Flagg, but have you ever heard of the ghost dogs that are said to haunt the island?

It is a sad tale that Christine Vernon (happy birthday), or as we call her Ms. Chris, writes about in her book The Old and New Legends of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. You can pick a copy up online or at the Lazy Gator. It is the perfect read to get you feeling beachy and in the fall mood. And you can always take her tour, the Inlet Cottage and Walking Tour.

According to Ms. Chris, the caretaker at the Pelican Inn adored her two Boston Terriers and would take them on long walks along the beach.

One day, one of the pups spotted a young child playing in the surf. At that moment, the child was hit by a huge wave and pulled out by a dangerous riptide. The poor child was defenseless against the raging waters and needed help.

One of the Boston Terriers jumped into action, pulling the young child to safety on the shore. But the pup would not make it after it became ill after digesting too much water, dying shortly after.

The dog’s littermate became grief-stricken and would not eat after the loss, dying of a broken heart.

About a year later, neighborhood children played on the beach when their parents heard two dogs barking in the distance. The adults said it sounded like the two Boston Terriers and began to look for them but never saw them.

Others have said that the caretaker did see her two babies again as she walked on the beach when she thought she had heard two dogs barking at her. When she turned, she saw both running in her direction. As soon as they got close to her arms, they vanished into the salty air.

Today, if you are walking along this stretch of coastline and hear a pair of dogs barking, perhaps they are trying to warn you of danger, or they are just happy to see you.

Written: John G. Clark Jr.
Source: The Old And New Legends Of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Pages. 29 and 30.
Image: Shutterstock

Were There Real Witches of South Carolina: The Terrifying Case of Mary InglemanWithin the beautiful Fairfield County sit...
09/01/2024

Were There Real Witches of South Carolina: The Terrifying Case of Mary Ingleman

Within the beautiful Fairfield County sits a small historic town named Winnsboro. It’s known for its clock, which stood in the same spot since the 1830s. Soldiers from the Revolutionary War had stayed here in preparation for their next battle. But that isn’t all Winnsboro has to offer. There is a mystery here that has yet to be fully understood.

Everyone knows about the horrors of the Salem Witch Trials, but very few people know about the witch trials that have existed around the country. Yes, that’s right - it wasn’t just Salem that experienced these trials. Winnsboro had trials back in 1792.

The people of Winnsboro believed they found four different witch-doctors and had them tried as well as punished by burning the soles of their feet completely off. Mary Ingleman was an elderly German woman approximately 70 years of age who was caught up in the middle of the horrifying situation when people found dead livestock around the town.

People began slandering the innocent woman, accusing her of being the reason for the animals and decided to try her as well. Townsfolk started doubling down on the stories, and soon they began escalating. They accused Mary of turning one man into a horse and levitating people off their beds. She received the same fate as the men, having the soles of her feet burned off and flogged.

Although Mary was found innocent and even sued those who wronged her, the locals cannot shake the uncomfortable feeling that Mary still has not left the town of Winnsboro, sometimes even catching glimpses of a ghostly elderly woman appearing at the local museum. Why? Nobody is sure. The museum may be where she was tried or even persecuted.

But if Mary was never executed and was eventually found innocent, then why her ghost? Is there something that we have yet to uncover?

Written By: Izzy
Photo By: Medium

Virginia's Urban Legend of a Supernatural Serial KillerOn Halloween of 1970, there were sightings of a man dressed as a ...
08/31/2024

Virginia's Urban Legend of a Supernatural Serial Killer

On Halloween of 1970, there were sightings of a man dressed as a rabbit committing vandalism in Fairfax County, Virginia. The perpetrator’s weapon of choice was an ax, described in the police report as having a two to three-foot handle with a three to four-inch blade on it.

The people of Fairfax were rightfully distressed, as such behavior at that time was especially unpredictable. To this day, people have attempted to tie the identity of the Bunny Man to a criminal who pleaded insanity by the name of Douglas J. Grifon, who escaped while being transported to a new facility by bus. While this story would strike fear, according to some, it never happened.

By 1976, allegations surfaced. The Bunny Man murdered at least two children in the Clifton area of Virginia, as well as causing others to disappear. The rumors continued, stating even animals such as bunnies were mutilated. Fear fed into this mysterious Bunny Man, like something out of Nightmare on Elm Street. By the 1980s, the decade of slasher films, The Bunny Man became more than just a man and morphed into more of a supernatural creature. And his presence was said to haunt a railroad overpass near Fairfax Station. It is now known as Bunny Man Bridge, turning out travelers every Halloween for the ones brave enough to venture here.

So, are the rumors true? Did The Bunny Man murder children, or anybody for that matter? Did he even wear a bunny suit? The evidence says no, but the cult following has been taken to new heights, reaching a new generation of thrill-seekers, thanks to the various retellings and the early days of the internet.

The legend may have originated in this part of Virginia but has spread throughout the Washington D.C. and Maryland areas, with many variations.

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Written By: Izzy
Image By: __nightmare.fuel__ on Instagram

This Ghost Watches You While You Sleep in This Victorian Home: Pleasant DreamsNot much has changed in the last century i...
08/30/2024

This Ghost Watches You While You Sleep in This Victorian Home: Pleasant Dreams

Not much has changed in the last century in the small town of Rugby, Tennessee. One could imagine people driving into a remote place like this because they are lost and need to turn around. However, a historic house sits in this place, which pulls visitors from all over. This landmark is at 120 Farrington Street, which is right where it intersects with Newbury Road. There is a sign at the corner of the driveway: Welcome to 1880 Newbury House.

Welcome, indeed. English author Thomas Hughes established the town in 1880 and had an extraordinary idea. He wanted to build a utopian colony. Unfortunately, it did not go as planned. When his dream of a utopia failed, a small community stayed behind. The current population of Rugby sits at under a hundred people. As far as the historic Newbury House goes, it has been in public use since 1880. Although many have decided to leave, there are spirits of the deceased who cannot. For one reason or another, they stay. Perhaps to hold onto the utopian dream from long ago?

According to Rugby resident Howard Haffner, you can walk into any of the town's historic buildings and feel a presence with you. The difference with the Newbury House is that you can stay overnight as a guest.

Witnesses have heard children laughing in the front of the house, and others say they feel a sudden cold spot when entering one of the rooms. Allegedly, Charles Oldfield occupies this room. He was a London businessman, patiently waiting for his wife to return. Female guests, when alone, have reported feeling a nudge or a touch in the room, and many speculate it is Charles assuming his wife finally made it to him. Some of these guests have had the misfortune of Charles standing over their bed as they wake in the middle of the night.

Rugby is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the town has strict rules when constructing new homes. They must be built in the same style as the rest - Victorian. Which means Rugby does not like change. But the truth is, neither do ghosts.

Written By: Izzy
Photo By: Tennessee Haunted Houses

The Ghosts That Are Said to Haunt This Asheville Skyscraper Went Out With A BangAsheville, North Carolina, is one of tho...
08/29/2024

The Ghosts That Are Said to Haunt This Asheville Skyscraper Went Out With A Bang

Asheville, North Carolina, is one of those cities where if you took a rock and threw it in a random direction, you would manage to hit a haunted hotspot. And the Jackson Building is impossible to miss. Look towards the top and see statues of gargoyles guarding the building and the dark secrets inside.

Designed and built by Ronald Greene in 1924, the Jackson Building was the first skyscraper to exist in western North Carolina, and it currently sits at 22 S Pack Square. What better decade to celebrate such an achievement than The Roaring Twenties? From the social environment to the economy, the United States was booming at the time. Both the money and the drinks were flowing through the streets. Business was what the Jackson Building was known for.

It all came to a head in 1929, however. The stock market crashed. The economy was devastated. Business workers, many of which bet their entire lives on the market, could not cope. Many of these victims of circumstance were so distraught that they took their own lives all across the United States.

According to legend, many jumped from the Jackson Building in Asheville, North Carolina. There is one unnamed individual that people witnessed leaping from the top floor. Witnesses claim they can still see someone standing behind the window today.

And if things could not get any creepier, the site where the building was placed belonged to Thomas Wolfe’s father’s tombstone shop. In memory of William Oliver Wolfe, you can see two small monuments in front of the Jackson Building. Beside the monuments sits a giant circle that resembles a bullseye. Is this the spot where the grief-stricken businessman met his fate? Many seem to believe so.

If you visit Asheville and come across the Jackson Building, look up and squint your eyes. Do you see a man’s face?

Written By: Izzy
Photo By: Strange Carolinas

Lantern NewsBreak article to get you into the fall “spirit”
08/29/2024

Lantern NewsBreak article to get you into the fall “spirit”

Charleston is famously known as the Holy City. And if you happen to be in the Holy City, why not walk down haunted Church Street and visit St. Philip's Episcopal Church?. They were founded in 1680, making the congregation the oldest in the United States south of Virginia. In the 17th century, the fi...

This NC Sanatorium is said to be Haunted by the Ghost of Zelda FitzgeraldThere are many haunted locations in Asheville, ...
08/28/2024

This NC Sanatorium is said to be Haunted by the Ghost of Zelda Fitzgerald

There are many haunted locations in Asheville, North Carolina, which The Lantern has covered. Some of these places carry a dark past. One of these areas is a four-story building located at 75 Zillicoa Street, which used to be a psychiatric facility for the elite class. The name of it was Highland Hospital, which burned down on March 10, 1948, taking the lives of nine women, including Zelda Fitzgerald – The wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author of The Great Gatsby.

Psychiatrist Robert Sproul Carroll had one word in mind when establishing the hospital in 1904: Recovery. Also known as Dr. Carroll’s Sanatorium, the goal was to treat patients suffering from addictions, as well as both mental and nervous disorders. The doctor was ahead of his time, considering sanatoriums were not known to be the best place for suffering patients. Old images of the facility show patients outside and exercising. In 1939, Robert’s facility was handed over to the Neuropsychiatric Department of Duke University.

But who lit the match that set fire to Highland Hospital? Many believe it was a night shift supervisor named Willie Mae Hall. The reason? It turns out she handed herself over to the police, claiming she felt the urge to commit arson and could have been the reason behind the fire. Why would she do this? What drove her to do this? Nobody knows. Allegedly, spirits continue to walk the grounds of the hospital. Some witnesses claim to have seen Zelda at night.

The historic building sold for $1.25 million in 2015 and was turned into a substance abuse treatment program for boys aged 13-17. If the spirits are still wandering around the location, hopefully, no new patients have experienced whatever it was that entered Willie Hall’s mind on that fateful night.

Written By: Izzy
Photo By: History Collection

T. Earl Robertson Loses His Mind Up in Here... Up in Here: It's Enough to Make You See RedThe old J.W. Bell Grain and Fl...
08/27/2024

T. Earl Robertson Loses His Mind Up in Here... Up in Here: It's Enough to Make You See Red

The old J.W. Bell Grain and Flour Mill in downtown Spartanburg was the scene of a gruesome murder in August 1929, when T. Earl Robertson lost his mind and axed four of his coworkers in a fit of rage. Robertson believed six of the workers were involved in a grain embezzling scandal and was going to exclude him from the plot. An injured coworker ran from the building to get help while others held Robertson until authorities arrived.

Robertson eventually took his own life while in jail for the murders. People have heard screams inside, and footsteps and apparitions just appear.

Are the victims still inside these old walls in Spartanburg?

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.

The Most Haunted Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains: Take A HikeIf you are heading towards the Great Smoky Mountains in ...
08/27/2024

The Most Haunted Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains: Take A Hike

If you are heading towards the Great Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina, why not look for a place to camp with a scenic view? Are you interested? Then look no further than the Norton Creek Trail. Also known as the Noland Creek Trailhead, it sits on the north shore of Fontana Lake. I should probably warn you: There are many cemeteries in this area. Is the trail safe? Well, of course, it is. Many people use North Creek Trail for camping, backpacking, and hiking. However, if you see an orb float by as you walk the trail, take heed because the area is haunted. But the spirits here are said to be mostly friendly. It is considered the perfect hike to get you in the mood for fall and spooky season.

The light belongs to the ghost of a settler that guides visitors to safety. The reason? Legend has it that the settler met a terrible fate in the woods surrounding the trail. His daughter was missing, and he sought out to look for her. Unfortunately, he never found her.

Allegedly, there is an evil spirit along the trail belonging to a witch named Spearfinger. One finger is longer than the rest, incredibly sharp, and is said to be made from obsidian.Spearfinger would disguise herself as an innocent grandmother, and when children approached her, she would put them under her spell, leading them away from their homes. After that, the children were never to be heard from again. The Lantern has covered many articles on Fontana Lake, The Road to Nowhere, and old Spearfinger in the past.

People believe the settler guides visitors out of the trail when Spearfinger approaches. She stalks in the darkness, waiting for her next chance to take another victim.

The iconic Road to Nowhere is close by to add the extra thrill factor to your journey. Imagine walking along with a chill in the air, foliage changing to fall colors, and hearing a disembodied voice in the distance.

If you are an adventure seeker and the mountains, this is the perfect place coupled with a hike. See you on the trail unless Spearfinger meets you first.

Written By: Izzy
Photo By: National Park Trust

This North Carolina Small-Town Use to be in South Carolina Have you ever heard of the town of Whitaker, South Carolina? ...
08/27/2024

This North Carolina Small-Town Use to be in South Carolina

Have you ever heard of the town of Whitaker, South Carolina? Well, Whitaker is no longer in the state and now resides in North Carolina in Cleveland County. Even the name changed to Grover in 1885 in honor of President Cleveland.

Grover is a unique town, nestled on the state line where video poker once ruled the landscape in the 1990s. We all probably remember the flashing signs that lured people into the doors with chances to win big. The railroad-dominated town started when the Atlanta Charlotte Airline Railway placed a turntable here for engines to turn, operating from the 1880s to the 1920s. Southern Railway continues service through Grover to this day. We even hear that Amtrak comes through daily.

Before Cleaveland County appeared on maps, a Revolutionary War battle occurred just to the south in October 1780 that halted the British from advancing into North Carolina. You all may know it better by the Battle of Kings Mountain.

Back to Cleaveland County- Well, the name was changed to reflect Cleveland in 1887, and the rest is history.

Today, Grover sits off Interstate I-85 at exit 106 at the North and South Carolina state line.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Image: John G. Clark Jr.

The Nitrolee Dam Hitchhiker: Going My WayGreat Falls, South Carolina, is a small community in Chester County. Recently, ...
08/26/2024

The Nitrolee Dam Hitchhiker: Going My Way

Great Falls, South Carolina, is a small community in Chester County. Recently, a new whitewater park opened along the banks of the Catawba River at the base of the Nitrolee Dam. At one time, Great Falls was a booming little textile town that afforded locals and others from nearby areas employment opportunities. For some mill workers, this meant crossing the bridge from Lancaster into Great Falls. Unfortunately, many accidents occurred along this stretch of road.

One story dates back to the 1950s when a local mill employee at Republic Mill number two left work after her shift en route back to her home. A little after midnight, she became sleepy, and her car crossed the center line, hitting a logging truck head-on. The blunt force was so severe that it knocked the car over the guardrail into the river below, killing the young woman instantly. Several months after the accident, a woman fitting the description of the deceased started flagging down trucks that were crossing the bridge. The truck drivers reported that she would run out in front of them on the narrow two-lane bridge when it was raining or foggy. She would appear out of nowhere when their truck lights hit the bridge.

The best time to see the Nitrolee Dam Hitchhiker is on rainy and foggy nights.

The story also appears in Tally Johnson's Ghosts of the South Carolina Upcountry on pages 29 and 30.

This story first appeared on The Lantern on January 15, 2024.

Written By: John G Clark Jr

08/26/2024

Happy International Dog Day! Let’s see those four-legged family members

The Legend of Hatteras Jack: Outer BanksSailing in the early days, especially around Hatteras Inlet and other areas alon...
08/26/2024

The Legend of Hatteras Jack: Outer Banks

Sailing in the early days, especially around Hatteras Inlet and other areas along the east coast, earned these places a reputation as dangerous, with shifting sandbars and underwater dangers. Unfortunately, some places could not be avoided as they were popular stops along the trade route.

Bodie Island, or as it once was known, Body Island, was home to a stretch of dangerous waters and extremely difficult to navigate, even for the most experienced crews. According to legend, many bodies washed ashore here, which is how the island received its name.

In the 1780s, sailors began noticing a white bottlenose dolphin that would streak through the waters just before a ship entered Hatteras Inlet, earning the name of Hatteras Jack. Word spread quickly that the dolphin was a friend who helped es**rt boats safely to the far side out of danger. Hatteras Jack would celebrate with the crew and became a celebrated hero.

Soon, ships entering would blow their fog signal or ring a bell to alert Jack. As navigation techniques improved, Jack stopped showing. Many wondered what happened to Hatteras Jack when he stopped showing up one day, but some captains continued to see him after this.

Even today, some sailors claim to see a white bottlenose dolphin to guide them through the inlet during stormy weather. Some believe that the ghost of Hatteras Jack continues to watch over the inlet in the afterlife.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Source: Haunted North Carolina. Pages 24 and 25.
Image: Village Craftsmen

The Ghost Ship Crissie Wright (Dead Men Tell No Tales): Carteret County, North Carolina On a cold night on January 11, 1...
08/25/2024

The Ghost Ship Crissie Wright (Dead Men Tell No Tales): Carteret County, North Carolina

On a cold night on January 11, 1886, the Crissie Wright sailed into a heavy winter storm as the little town of Diamond City watched in disbelief from the shore. Many residents gathered along the sand at the edge of the Atlantic with fires lit to welcome the crew, but the ocean on that night was just too frigid as wave after wave tore at the vessel.

One wave after another battered the ship, eventually breaking it apart. The crew tried to launch lifeboats, but the wind, cold, and rough waters proved too much for the men as ice formed on their beards and across the frozen deck.

Captain Collins and two mates died after being swallowed by the dark waters as the other men screamed for mercy as the crowd from the beach watched. Unfortunately, the only thing the townspeople could do was wait until morning and try to launch a rescue mission to save whoever remained alive.

All night, the ocean continued to batter the boat, ripping the planking and boat apart, piece by piece.

Early the next morning, after the rescuers reached the site, four sailors were discovered wrapped in the mainsail canvas on what remained of the ship. Three froze to death, and only the portly cook lived, but he was never well again, physically or mentally.

Since the bitter winter of 1886, people living along the shore have reported seeing the ghost ship sailing in the afterlife on wild, stormy nights. Her crew fights for survival, with the sounds of the doomed boat heard in the distance.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Source: Haunted North Carolina. Patty A. Wilson. Pgs. 10, 11, 12
Image: Blogger: Beaufort Artist

The Ghostly Lady of Kill Devil HillsKill Devil Hills, North Carolina, on the Outer Banks, is a dream, but what lurks in ...
08/23/2024

The Ghostly Lady of Kill Devil Hills

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, on the Outer Banks, is a dream, but what lurks in the shadows may be a nightmare if you come face to face with one of the forever residents who decided to stay.

The Avalon section, on the westside 158 Bypass, is no stranger to the paranormal, according to Peggy Schmidt in her book Ghosts of the Outer Banks. According to Schmidt, a ghostly lady has been seen in one of the cottages.

One morning, a man woke to make a pot of coffee when he encountered a young woman standing in the living room. He was curious why she was in the house, demanding an answer. As he moved closer, the woman was dressed in clothing not from this period. He asked again, why was she there?

The man at first thought she had gone into the wrong cottage, but as he got real close to her, she vanished into thin air.

It's enough to drive your soul to the brink of insanity.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Image: Shutterstock
Source: Ghosts of the Outer Banks. Page 59. Peggy Schmidt

The Witch of Nags Head: North Carolina FolkloreWe love the Outer Banks and all the haunted locations and folklore that c...
08/23/2024

The Witch of Nags Head: North Carolina Folklore

We love the Outer Banks and all the haunted locations and folklore that comes with it. It is one of the most beautiful places to vacation, but also one of the most intriguing because of its rich history with shipwrecks, pirates, and ghosts that are said to walk among the living in the salty air today. We have covered many articles here, but this next one is new, at least for us.

Please continue to invite family and friends to the page, as we have so much more to cover, plus our podcast is on the horizon. Inviting 20 friends helps our small news outlet grow.

Peggy Schmidt wrote about The Witch of Nags Head in her book Ghosts of the Outer Banks on pages 19 to 24. The old witch lived in the woods on Nags Head with her husband and young son. One day, her husband disappeared, thanks to the pirates who visited this area. After he disappeared, she became friendly with the local fishermen, who allowed her son to tag along, keeping the fish he would catch. Often, the fishermen would stop by the old shack to check on her, dropping food off so she and her son would have plenty to eat.

The old witch thought the world of her son until a band of pirates showed on her doorstep one day, demanding the young lad. The boy was forced to work on a pirate ship until he lost his life in battle at sea. At least, the band of unsavory characters showed to her door to announce his death to the old witch and paid her a handsome portion of their b***y for her troubles. She became bitter and heartbroken, cursing the captain that he would never feel the joy of becoming a grandparent and would never have a grandson to carry on his name.

Word traveled to the wife of the captain about the curse, who believed in the hex. She was scared of what might happen, so she packed up and moved back to Charleston, South Carolina, with her daughter.

Finally, the daughter of the cursed captain grew into a beautiful bride and was to marry on New Year’s Eve. People gathered in the Charleston home, awaiting the bride to make her way down to greet her husband. The music played, but the young woman never appeared. Her mother remembered the promise the old witch made to her husband. Finally, the young woman replied from the other room, asking her husband to catch her from the stairwell. The mother was relieved to hear her voice but also agitated that she was acting as an adolescent. They quickly went to the staircase, but the bride was nowhere to be found. A search party quickly assembled to locate the bride. Days and weeks passed, but the woman had vanished into thin air. Her mother moved from the home, heartbroken that her daughter was gone.

The following year, one year after the wedding was to take place, New Year’s Eve, a group of children were playing by the home when they noticed a young woman in the window, calling to them. It seemed every year; she would reappear in the same window.

One day, a man decided to spend the night there, hoping to meet the spirit. The man fell asleep around midnight and had a crazy dream that felt real. He dreamed that he watched a wedding from the stairwell of the home. The bride ran down the hallway, calling for her husband, and tripped against a wall. When she did this, she accidentally hit a lever and plunged into a room below the floor with it shutting behind her, basically burying herself alive.

The man was jolted awake by this, hearing a cackle that only a witch could make. When he went down the hallway, he found the lever on the wall and found the skeleton remains of the young bride at the bottom of the steps below.

She never appeared again in that window.

Other variations to the story exist.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Image: Resort Realty

Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower: Best View to Welcome Fall- Throwback Thursday Can you believe we are almost in the “Be...
08/22/2024

Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower: Best View to Welcome Fall- Throwback Thursday

Can you believe we are almost in the “Ber” months, with chilly temps, pumpkin spice, and everything spooky on the horizon? And we can not leave football out.

One place you may not know about is the Fryingpan Mountain Lookout, roughly 22 miles from Asheville, North Carolina, near Mt. Pisgah in the Pisgah National Forest. The hike only consists of 1.5 miles (round trip), with the steel tower sitting atop the 5,340-foot Fryingpan Mountain.

The United States Forest Service built the 70-foot-tall tower in 1941 and it was used to watch for fires in the area until the early 1990s.

"Directions: take I-240 West to I-26 East. Take Exit 33 (marked Blue Ridge Parkway-Brevard Road-Hwy 191). Turn left (south) onto Highway 191 and go 2.1 miles, passing brown signs for Blue Ridge Parkway and NC Arboretum. Turn right at the entrance to The North Carolina Arboretum and follow signs for the Blue Ridge Parkway. Turn south on the Parkway and continue past the Pisgah Inn (Milepost 408.6) and Funnel Top Overlook. You’ll see a pull-off with a metal gate and sign for FS 450 on the right shortly after this. Park where you can without blocking the gate." (Explore Asheville)

Fire Towers gained popularity in the early 1900s, as fires were reported using telephones, carrier pigeons, and heliographs. Some of these structures survived and are now used for other purposes, like off-grid living spaces, while others continue to sit in the wilderness.

Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Image: ExploreAsheville

(Disclaimer) If you visit, please be kind to the area. We want to preserve nature and history.

The Haunted Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: North Carolina Haunted HistoryIn Buxton, North Carolina, there is a lighthouse nea...
08/22/2024

The Haunted Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: North Carolina Haunted History

In Buxton, North Carolina, there is a lighthouse near the edge of Hatteras Island, and the sight is something out of a Tim Burton film. They say not to judge a book by its cover. However, this is the exception. Due to the aggressive waters surrounding the lighthouse, it is a location known for having ghostly encounters with ships that have long since vanished at sea. After all, the sea in this area is called the Graveyard of the Atlantic for a reason.

Cape Hatteras had nothing for ships to spot from a distance until the early 1800s. But sailors were still not pleased. The light was poor, and the lighthouse only stood 90 feet tall. It was not until the mid-1850s that the new and improved lighthouse provided use for ships. Unfortunately, the Civil War was just around the corner. The lighthouse was left damaged, and allegedly, the Union army stole parts from it. Finally, in 1870, a new tower was placed and was given the black and white candy cane look it is known for today.

Decades later, the sea continued threatening to wreak havoc on the lighthouse. The National Park Service took ownership of the tower and rebuilt the coastline so that the crashing waves would no longer be an issue.

In 1999, the lighthouse was moved half a mile inland. Allegedly, the ghosts from the first lighthouse continue to roam around the current one today. One of the famous ghosts is a mystery ship named the Carroll A. Deering, a commercial vessel. Deering was discovered abandoned in January of 1921 near the lighthouse.

Deering’s crew disappeared, as did personal belongings and the lifeboats. Allegedly, there is the sighting of a gray man spotted by the tower, leading witnesses to believe the figure could be a ghost of the Deering. This gray man is said to appear right before rain starts and will sometimes show himself for a short time in between the crashing of waves.

Did You Know? The first distress call from the RMS Titanic pinged the Hatteras Village Weather Station at 11:25 p.m. on that fateful night 112 years ago.

Written By: Izzy
Photo By: ASCE

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